The Pet Mobile is in Dublin this week, as we say hello to more amazing pets with hosts Demi Isaac and Adam Beales on The Big Pet Project.
There's everything from a massive teacup pig named Bertha, to Ireland's most famous chicken and lots more. Tune in to RTÉ One Saturdays at 5.15pm and stream all episodes now on RTÉ Player.
But first, we meet Isabel who brought along her snake Marshmallow. She tells Adam she wanted a snake simply because, "I like snakes!" Fair enough!
At home, Marshmallow lives in a special heated reptile tank called a vivarium, which keeps him at just the right temperature. When Adam and Demi ask if they can touch him, Isabel hands Marshmallow over - and things get interesting. Press play up top to see how it went down.
Marshmallow immediately explores by sliding up sleeves, which turns out to be his favourite hiding place. Demi freezes. Adam panics. Marshmallow? He’s having the time of his life.
How Corn Snakes eat:
- Marshmallow eats once a week
- His dinner? One mouse
- Snakes swallow their food whole, without chewing
- Their jaws open really wide, almost like a huge yawn
- Digestion takes a while because everything goes down in one piece
More facts
Yes, snakes pee and poo! They do it from a spot called a vent, located under the tail. Adam thinks "vent" sounds like a very polite word - especially for snake poo.
Marshmallow is already fully grown. Male corn snakes are usually 3–4 feet and females grow to 4–5 feet.
Snakes don’t have eyelids - so they never blink. Instead, they have a clear scale over each eye, like built-in goggles.
Corn snakes often stick out their tongue, but they are not being cheeky! That quick little tongue flick lets Marshmallow "taste the air" to figure out:
- where he is
- what’s around him
- and if there’s a tasty mouse nearby!
Corn Snake Facts in the wild:
- Come from the USA
- Offten found around corn barns, where they hunt mice and rats
- They aren’t venomous
- Catch prey using constriction – they squeeze them
- Mostly live on the ground, but can climb
- Can live for up to 15 years
But Marshmallow is a special palmetto corn snake - bright white with little speckles. That makes him very easy for predators to spot, so he wouldn’t survive long in the wild. Luckily, he has Isabel, Shauna, and a lovely warm vivarium instead!
And That’s Not All in Episode 5!
Dublin is full of surprises for the Big Pet Project team. Adam and Demi also:
- Make music with miniature ponies
- Meet a 50-stone teacup pig
- Hang out with Peggy – Ireland’s most famous chicken
- And our Vet, Dr Bobby, is giving a guinea pig a CT scan
- Plus, we head to an aquarium to meet some of the strangest sea creatures on Earth.
The Big Pet Project is streaming now on RTÉ Player.
Check out the RTÉ Kids YouTube channel for more great clips and content from the show - subscribe here!
To find out more about great shows for young people and all the family from RTÉ Kids visit www.rte.ie/kids.
